


Straw Hat Gamer

by problematicorca



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Female Monkey D. Luffy, Multi, Polyamory, Will add tags as I update
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-08
Updated: 2019-08-08
Packaged: 2019-10-06 11:02:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17344109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/problematicorca/pseuds/problematicorca
Summary: A collection of ficlets from prompts and other ideas for my Modern AU





	1. Misunderstanding

“When you said you wanted me over, this isn’t what I expected.”

Sanji was staring at the mess of a kitchen in Luffy’s home, stuck somewhere between exasperation and acceptance. He knows all too well that Ace was away on-shift, sometimes gone for days at a time when that happened. Luffy was as incompetent in the kitchen as someone would expect her to be, or perhaps worse.  _ Burning water _ is one thing-- somehow getting pasta stuck to the ceiling with  _ scorch marks _ surrounding it was another. There was a strange substance staining the countertops, and a  _ smell _ that Sanji could not quite put his finger on. Boxes and boxes of chinese takeout and pizza delivery were piled near the garbage, a testament to her defeat in Sanji’s domain. It was easier for her to grab and go, especially being a famous Youtube gamer. She could eat while playing, which is what she did while Ace was gone for the most part. 

He has to wonder what possessed her to try cooking again though. Perhaps it was just an excuse to get him over here. 

With the brightest grin spread across her face, Sanji would swear he was looking at the sun when he looked at Luffy. She bounced on her feet, because she knew the jiggle of her breasts would sway him in  _ any _ situation. “ _ Thank you, Sanji! _ You know I  _ love _ having you here!” Her hands clasped behind her back, an expression of faux-innocence adorned her face. 

For all of two seconds, Sanji hated her for it. He hated her even more as he felt the surge of love and admiration through him, and he salutes her with vigor and hearts in his eyes. “Leave it to me!” Oh yes, he really hated her. 

With his hair pulled back in a small ponytail and gloves over each hand, he set to work in the kitchen while Luffy rambled on in front of the camera as she fought with whatever game she was currently working through. He loved listening to her, despite the feverish puffing at his cigarette as he slaved away in the kitchen with the mess she made. He should really know better, but in a sense? He also enjoyed helping her. 

A noise from the back of the house brought him pause in his work, setting down the plates with care. They sunk in the sink water as he leaned back, raising his visible eyebrow in confusion. “Luffy-?” he beckoned, stepping out of the kitchen slowly. She was unperturbed by whatever Sanji heard, still prattling on as if her life depended on it. “ _ Oi _ , Luffy!”

At a loss for words, the blonde could only gape in surprise, his hand just centimeters away from the towel. Brown eyes worked their way up to a reddish brown pair, relieved to find no judgment in them. Ace was always so understanding. The goofy grin that pulled across freckled cheeks had the cook turning red almost instantly, snapping him out of his stupor. He yanked his hand back and stood up straight, though still found himself shorter than Ace in comparison. “Ace--” He coughed, trying to regain some composure.

It was a fruitless effort.

“I-- I thought you weren’t… home,” he confesses. The cigarette between his lips suddenly drops and he scrambles to grab it without thinking, dropping to his knees in front of a towel-clad man.  _ Abandon the cigarette! _ He stands again, leaving his crutch behind on the floor and turning his head away sheepishly. His stomach was doing hurdles all of a sudden. 

Ace, ever the polite one, knelt down for it and dropped the cigarette back in Sanji’s hand. “I just got back about an hour ago. Are you-- cleaning up? I told Luffy to do that.” His eyes rolled, and when Sanji didn’t answer? He realized he was still wearing  _ just _ a towel. “Oh… Lemme change, alright? I’ll come help you in a bit.” 

Before the cook could protest, the bedroom door was shut again. 

Sanji waited for a few seconds longer, overwhelmed by the sight and his own emotions. Flustered, frustrated, maybe even aroused? No, what is he thinking!? He scurries on back to the kitchen, stops, then stomps into the front room and folds his arms as he looms over Luffy in a menacing way. She pauses her game, pulling the headset down around her neck as innocent brown eyes turned up to meet Sanji’s fiery set. A nervous grin plastered on her mischievous face, immediately damning her in the process. “You knew he was home and you  _ didn’t tell me? _ ” Sanji exclaimed. 

A chipper little laugh wormed its way out in a breathy  _ Shishishi! _ Luffy clearly thought the revelation was funny, even if she did not see the interaction herself. “Surprise?” 

_ “Luffy!” _

“That means he’s out of the shower, right!?” She stands rather quickly, nearly yanking her headphones out. Taking a rare second of careful handling to put her headset down, Luffy rushed to the back of the house after she was freed. “My turn, my turn!!” She nearly barrels over Ace as he stumbles down the hall. Luffy pauses, backpedals, then throws her arms around him and buries her face into his chest. After a minute of this affectionate display, she is hurrying to the back of the house again, leaving a flustered Sanji with Ace. 

“So…! I’m helping you clean, right?” Ace’s singsong tone made Sanji’s heart flutter in ways he would rather ignore. The cook scoffed and searched for another pair of disposable gloves.

“You’re off hours,” he announced with a wave of his hand. “Enjoy yourself. I’m sure you’re tired.”

“Ah, you’re sweet.” Ace sat himself at one of the chairs of the dining table, watching Sanji dutifully return to his work. “I hope she offered to  _ pay you _ at least.”

Sanji gave him a wry grin from over his shoulder. “She didn’t even tell me I was comin’ over to clean, if that answers your question.”

Ace stretched his arms out over the table, then shook his head in disapproval. “Typical Lu. I’ll make sure you’re paid before you go.” Before Sanji could even protest, Ace held a hand out to silence him. “I  _ insist _ . It’s the least I can do. You help her out  _ so much _ already.” 

Finding that answer acceptable enough, or perhaps realizing that he would  _ not _ win that argument, Sanji set back to his work. There was small-talk shared between them; the cook set a mug of freshly brewed coffee down beside Ace after a point, then continued. In his concentration, he seemingly forgot all about his ruined cigarette and never considered lighting up another. He enjoyed Ace’s company, which was a blessing. Sanji rarely enjoyed any other man’s company, acting more adverse to their presence in most interactions, especially with a certain bartender at his restaurant and  _ his stupid green hair and shit-eating grin _ \----

“Hey… You wanna--- Smash--”

Whatever it was Ace had asked, Sanji only caught pieces of it as he put away clean dishes. If not for his steady hand and control, he may have dropped them all. His body tensed, and he turned to Ace in utter confusion. Mortified, even! “What?” He sounded offended.

That confused the firefighter. They had been getting along so well before? He sat up a little, his brow knitting together in concern. “I  _ said _ \-- Do you want to play Smash?” 

Not quite understanding what the other man men, Sanji felt this was simply affirmation to his misunderstanding. “Luffy’s in the _other room_ and you’re hitting on me!?”

“What-”

“What kind of guy do you think I am!?”

“--- _Whoa_ \--”

“If you think I would disrespect a woman in her own home--”

“Sanji!” Ace raised his voice again, and it seemed to get through. “I’m talking about a videogame, bud. What did you think I meant?”

There was silence between them as Sanji’s mind scrambled for an explanation. Surely there was some reason that would not embarrass him. How could he think  _ that’s  _ what Ace meant? Surely not! Ace was polite and decent, he would  _ never _ \-- And here the cook was, feeling the hot flashes of embarrassment whip over him, feeling his face suddenly turn red. All he can do is turn his back on the firefighter and hurriedly put away the rest of the dishes. He  _ hates _ that Ace continues to wait patiently for an explanation,  _ hates _ that he can feel those eyes watching his every movement. Then he feels like an ass as he turns around and says, “Can we just forget whatever I said!? Okay?”

And Ace concedes so willingly: “Of course.”

Sanji feels like  _ the biggest _ asshole. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> tw: character death

Her head was swimming in a haze. Nothing felt real anymore. A heavily beating heart echoed in her ears, muffling out the world around her as Luffy stood over the larger body in her kitchen. Her fingers trembled, dripping in blood as she dropped the knife and let it clatter to the floor. Brown eyes were wide, but Luffy could not bring herself to feel remorse for what she had done. This man had been hurting Ace, had targeted her lover and her own well-being. This had been a long time coming and Luffy could only regret just how long it took for this terrible nightmare to end. How long did Ace have to suffer for? She may never know the answer, and it might haunt her in the future.  

Slowly, her gaze shifted from the motionless body to her beloved. Ace looked tired, not mortified as she had expected. His expression was soft, eyes clouded with exhaustion that even the slump of his shoulders could not match. With her sudden hyper awareness, she could see his figure trembling. Was it from fear? Pain?  

“Ace.” All Luffy wanted to do was make it right.  

Hearing his name on her tongue brought him out of whatever haze he had fallen into. Quickly, he picked himself up and rushed over to his lover. Both hands planted firmly on her shoulders as he leaned down closer to her level. “Luffy.” His own voice is wavering and raw with emotion, but she could still hear his concern for her. Everything he did revolved around his love for her. “It’s okay.” He pulls her flush against him, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace that promised shelter and protection from the rest of the world. “It’s okay. It’s over.

* * *

 

“Luffy! Turn that down. I’m trying to sleep.”

She could barely hear his voice over the loud music and frantic button-smashing. Her own voice sang praises for her skill and added-commentary for the amusement of those who watched. Ever so often, her tongue would poke out between her lips in concentration. When that happened, her brown eyes hardened and narrowed as she focused on the screen before her. Whatever game she was currently streaming was certainly loud in and of itself, which usually didn’t bother her lover on the couch. With how strenuous a job he worked, and how often he slept at home when he was off shift, Ace joined Luffy during her streams as a way of spending time with her; that would not require much physical exertion from him at all.  

It was a win-win; she was able to get work done  _and_  spend time with Ace!  

Registering his words after a minute had passed, Luffy stiffened and shot a playful glare over her shoulder. She stuck her tongue out with a disappointed sound. “You’re  _always_  trying to sleep!”  

Not always. Lately, it seemed as though the universe knew whenever Ace was on shift. The sky was suddenly falling from above and the world turned upside down. Every possible emergency reared its ugly head, determined to keep the man on his feet and away from his home. As soon as he was off shift, the world went right back to normal. Neither he, nor Luffy, nor their roommate ever considered it was the machinations of some malicious individual. What would the motive even be?

She immediately regretted her response. Luffy turned the volume down considerably and flashed an apologetic grin back at Ace. “Sorry!” She was gifted with his hand reaching out, ruffling through her hair as an acceptance of her apology. A gentle smile graced his lips. 

That was how the night started, just as every night before it that they shared together. This one started out the same as any other, giving way to a false sense of security shared between both Youtuber and Firefighter. Ace watched her play with an unfocused gaze, so content on the couch and in her presence that he paid little attention to the rest of the world around them. There was only himself and Luffy, and he contented himself with that. 

Usually more astute, neither took notice of their back door when it opened. So engrossed with the other’s company, it was easy for the lumbering shadow to loom over them in such silent threat. The last thing Luffy’s viewers saw was their intruder as he lunged himself over the couch. The video feed cut off, and their screens turned black and silent. 

 

Marshall D. Teach, infamous leader of a local crime syndicate that dabbled in drug trade and trafficking. He was the owner of a famous casino in the local area called the Saber of Xebec, which also served as the capital of all his unsavory business endeavors. There he lie, dead on the floor of their kitchen with many of their rooms in shambles from the fight. 

>  _What happened last night?_  
>  _Is Luffy okay?_  
>  _Someone broke into her house._  
>  _Something happened to Ace and Luffy!_

News spread quickly, with the stream footage having gone viral.

She was a hero, but she did not feel like one. She did not care to be called one either. “It’s okay.” Ace’s voice was soft in her ear as he held her close. Their lives would not be easy after this, but they had each other. “This will never happen again,” the freckled fireman whispered. His arms tightened around her, hugging her smaller body against his own. “Never.”

**Author's Note:**

> got any prompts for me? catch me @freckledtilikum.tumblr.com


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